Julián Ríos Cantú Is The Mexican 18-Year-Old Who Invented A Cancer-Detecting Bra

When Julián Ríos Cantú was 13 years old, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time in her life. Thankfully, she survived both diagnoses, but it got Julián thinking about the best way to help his mother and other women keep tabs on their health. That's why just five years later, the Mexican teenager founded Higia Technologies and debuted its flagship product—a bra that detects early signs of breast cancer.

Getting A Head Start On Cancer

No matter what form of cancer you're talking about, early detection is crucial. That's why it's so important for women to schedule regular check-ups and stay up-to-date with their mammograms. But for Ríos Cantú's mom, even that wasn't enough. When she made an appointment after finding a lump, the doctor told her that the tumors were not malignant. The doctor was wrong. The lumps grew from the size of rice grains to golf balls, and eventually she had to have a double mastectomy. It was this failure of the diagnostic process that inspired her son to pursue a more reliable method.

EVA is a bra with built-in sensors that check for signs of breast cancer, such as changes in the breast's texture, temperature, and color. Unlike regular bras, though, EVA isn't a 'round-the-clock thing—women need to wear it for about 60 to 90 minutes per day in order to get an accurate reading. Why a bra instead of a wand or another device? Simple—the bra keeps the breasts in the same position so that the sensors can take the same measurements every time EVA is used. In short, the device is a life-saving tool that equips women with crucial information about their bodies.

Teenage Geniuses

EVA is such an innovative solution to the problem of planning medical exams that it's hard to believe that all of the developers are only on the cusp of graduating high school. That 18-year-old Ríos Cantú would head up its development is one thing, but the rest of the four-person team is in the same demographic. They've already made huge waves, earning accolades from President Peña Nieto and taking home top honors in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. That last award brought $20,000 to the cause, so expect to see more cancer-busting research and treatments coming out of this youth-led company in the future.